


Forget Us Not, Brother

by orphan_account



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, Nakamoto Yuta-centric, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:00:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23426632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Something was going wrong.They could all feel it...... as it hung in the air, something heavy, like dark clouds brewing before a storm........Nakamoto Yuta, main dancer of NCT 127, already has a lot on his plate.He doesn't need a nightmare from the past to reappear in his life as well.But it does, so how's he gonna deal with it?Well, dear reader, keep reading.............(In other words, I'm terrible at summaries.)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 62





	1. Prologue: Present

An unused rest room with dim lighting. 

Nobody ever used it as it was situated in an old wing of SM's building.  
The old wing was abandoned when the new one was constructed and now was only used for storing faulty and unused equipment.

The restroom lay abandoned with cobwebbed ceiling and dusty walls and a stained mirror.  
The man smiled in front of the mirror. It was perfect.  
A closed restroom with cobwebs in the elegant building of SM.  
A blot on the pristine building....  
His smile turned bitter.  
A blot.......... just like he had once been.  
He adjusted his hair and checked his smile.  
It was time to meet NCT 127.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And.........it begins.


	2. Memories In Ice: Present

Listless eyes......

pale skin.......

limp hair.......  
They were clear signs of exhaustion and he knew it.  
Yuta stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at himself, oblivious to the incessant knocking behind him.

As a particularly loud 'Hyung!' jerked him out of his trance he hurriedly splashed some water on his face and yanked the door open to reveal Mark Lee, his hand poised mid knock.  
 _Aish, this brat......_

"Sorry hyung, I really need to pee", Mark said and barged inside.

Yuta sighed and walked over to sit on his unmade bed.  
He rummaged through his clothes, getting ready for another long day.

When he had been a young kid, Yuta had loved soccer. It had been his passion and ambition up to his teenage years.

On the field, chasing after the ball, wind beating his face, high on adrenaline, drenched in sweat..... he felt invincible.

However, after discovering dance quite by chance, it had become his new hobby.  
A hobby that grew into a passion, fuelled by spending countless hours in the studio and finally landing him where he was now.

Yes, he loved being an idol.  
He loved dancing more, with all his heart and soul.

But these days, it felt more like a chore, something that he couldn't put off.

Sitting on the hard, cold wooden floor of the studio, Yuta glanced at the tired, silent faces of his band mates and knew they felt the same.

The comeback was still two months away. And each day was a never ending cycle of dance practices, vocal training and occasional recording.And by the end of it they were all bone tired, impatient and snappy.

Dance practices no longer held the usual zeal and energy. They just staggered through each one mechanically, hoping to get them done as fast as possible.

"Hyung", Donghyuck said "Isn't the new choreographer coming today?" 

"He should", Taeyong replied, while guiding Jungwoo through a rather complex step.

Johnny looked over from where he was practicing with Taeil.

"What's up with Daesung hyung anyway?" he asked, referring to their previous choreographer.

"He's had a surgery", Doyoung replied, eyes glued to his phone.

"Oh look!" he exclaimed after a few minutes, and held up his phone for them to see. "Hyung says he'll most probably be back in a few months."

Yuta tuned everything out and basked in the relaxed atmosphere of the studio. It was a rare moment, one they might not get once the new instructor arrived. The calmness was lulling him to sleep, like a warm blanket....... calling him......pulling him in......... when-

THWACK!!

The door of the studio flew open and bounced off the wall, effectively jerking Yuta awake and catching the attention of the others.

The manager walked in briskly, and held the door open. Yuta flicked his eyes to the door.

Behind the manager entered another man, lean and tall, almost as tall as Johnny. He had sleek black hair parted to one side.

Yuta froze. He knew that face. _How could he ever forget?_

The manager smiled and gestured as if he were displaying a grand trophy.

"This is Kim Minwoo ssi. He will be your replacement choreographer for Daesung ssi."

They all bowed. Yuta bowed mechanically, purely on muscle memory.

His mind was bringing up memories... things that he thought he had buried.

As they straightened up, Minwoo turned to the manager and smiled. "Thank you, Manager-nim. I'll take it from here."

As the manager retreated, Minwoo turned to them and clapped his hands.

"Hello NCT 127, it's my pleasure to meet you and work with you. I will officially start my work here from tomorrow. Today I would like to assess your dance skills individually."

He paused and raked his eyes through them. "Taeyong ssi, let's start with you. The rest of you, please wait outside."

Outside the studio, Yuta closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.

_Hands around his mouth.......suffocating......_

Someone touched his arm and he flinched violently.

"What is wrong with you?" He hissed at a surprised Doyoung.

Abandoning his post on the wall, he paced, trying to calm his nerves. Any second now, he could be the one standing in front of Minwoo. The thought made him want to throw up.

The sound of the studio's door opening had them all looking. up. Taeyong came out, his face looking as fresh as before. He flicked his thumb towards Yuta.

"Yuta, you're next."

Cursing under his breath, and clenching his sweaty hands, Yuta entered the room, and closed the door. Heart in his throat, he turned to Minwoo and bowed. He dipped his head so that his bangs fell over his eyes.

When he straightened up, Minwoo was staring at him, with a twisted smile.

"Nakamoto Yuta", Minwoo exaggerated the syllables of his name.

"We meet again. What a handsome man you are now."

He got up and Yuta jerked back. He wondered if Minwoo would try anything right now, when the rest of them where right outside the door.

Placatingly, Minwoo held up his hands.

"Calm down, my dear."

He leaned against the chair, supporting it with one hand.

"Let's see how well you can impress me."

Yuta clenched and unclenched his hand. "Why are you here?" He hissed, trying to keep his voice steady.

Minwoo smiled. "Still no manners, I see."

His smile turned predatory.

"But if you want to talk, Yuta ssi, let's do it tomorrow, safely away from your bandmates. For now-"

Minwoo put a song on

"- I'll watch you dance."

Yuta inhaled, tried to forget Minwoo's precence, and danced.

Minutes later, as the song ended, he stopped. Minwoo waved his hand dismissively.

"Send the next one in."

Yuta rushed out, feeling that all too familiar tightness in his chest. He made a beeline for the bathrooms, and slid to the floor once he had bolted the door.

He lay his hand on his chest and regulated his breathing.

In and out.

_In and out...._

Slowly, he felt his heart rate come down. For now, the panic attack had passed.

He dropped his head onto his knees.

The realization hit him all at once. _Minwoo was truly back._ His breath hitched.

A knock behind him made him jump. "Hyung?" A tentative voice followed.

"What, Mark?" He called back, keeping his voice casual.

"Are you okay? You sorta disappeared back there."

"Nature calls", Yuta lied, wiping the moisture off his eyes.

He got up and opened the door.

"Let's go", he said, ruffling Mark's messy hair.

Nearly half an hour later, they were all done, Jaehyun being the last to finish.

They all assembled in the studio.

Minwoo cleared his throat.

"The assesment was productive.Your performance was good, though some require improvement. I believe we will get along well. However, be prepared for strict routines and tight schedules. I also expect good discipline."

His face broke into a smile and his gaze flickered briefly to Yuta.

"Well, I look forward to working with you all. You may disperse, then."

Yuta rushed out immediately, knocking poor Doyoung in the face, again.

"What is it with you today?" Doyoung grumbled.

Donghyuck giggled and Taeyong shook his head, like the tired leader he was.

Kim Minwoo sat in his office, eyes focussed on his laptop.

He replayed the video he was watching.

And replayed it again. And again.

He smiled and ignored the bulge in his pants.

_Nakamoto Yuta, you really are something else....._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews motivate me!:D


	3. Listen To Your Elders: Present

' _Come to my office. Now.'_

That's what Minwoo meant with that tiny, subtle gesture of his head, before he left the studio.

A gesture that only Yuta could see and understand.

The others were sprawled on the dance floor in various degrees of exhaustion and relief.

Yuta listened to Minwoo's retreating footsteps, dread coiling in his stomach.  
Whatever Minwoo wanted to see him about, it couldn't be good.

He slowly inched to the door, muttering an excuse about needing to use the bathroom.

"Be back soon!" Taeyong called after him. "We need to leave."

Yuta swallowed, feeling like each step that was taking him closer to Minwoo was dragging him down.

_Breathe.......you can get through this._

Putting on an impassive face, he entered into Minwoo's office.

The man was watching something on his laptop, with his legs propped up on the table.  
At Yuta's arrival he straightened up, hitting pause on his laptop.

"Ah, Yuta ssi, what a pleasant surprise."

Yuta stared at him stonily. "You called me here. Why?"

Minwoo looked amused.

"It seems like old habits die hard. One thing I have always disliked in you is your lack of manners. Just one smile from you could make this conversation more pleasant, you know?"

"I am not here to be pleasant."

"Well," Minwoo sighed.  
"You can have it your way, Yuta ssi."

He inched closer.

"Since you are so stubborn, let's get down to business."

_And closer....._

"I would like to give you special training since your dancing technique is not up to the mark. What do you say?"

He caught Yuta's wrist at the last part.

Yuta wrenched his hand away, trembling.  
He knew what 'special training' meant. Had experienced it firsthand, years ago.

"How dare you!" He hissed through clenched teeth.  
He wasn't going to let Minwoo take advantage of him. Not this time. Not if he could help it.

He pushed Minwoo back and the man stumbled, taken by surprise at the sudden attack.

"Don't ever touch me, Minwoo. I'm not a naive sixteen year old trainee anymore."

Minwoo's dark eyes glittered in amusement.  
_Still so naive........so innocent._

"Lesson number one, Yuta"  
He held up one finger,  
"Listen to your elders."

He pushed his laptop towards Yuta and clicked on a video.

Yuta watched the screen warily.  
The video was of a grainy quality and dark, as if it was shot in a dark place.  
Yuta squinted his eyes in confusion.  
What he saw next made Yuta widen his eyes in horror. He hit pause and backed away, feeling panic fill him.

"This.... this video...you...how did you-"  
He broke off, unable to continue.

"Didn't expect that, did you?"  
Minwoo's voice was smug.

"One click, and everyone gets to see what a whore you were. Your fans, the members, they will see the real you."

Yuta put his throbbing head in his hands.  
"No.......no......please....."

Minwoo smiled gently.

He moved closer to Yuta, ignoring his flinch and placing a hand on his hair.

"If you listen to what I say, things will be much more easier. Don't say no to special training, okay?  
We'll have fun, like we used to before."

Yuta stared at the floor in silence. Minwoo grinned broadly. His silence was his agreement.

Breaking Yuta had been easier than he thought. It turned him on.  
He petted Yuta's hair again.  
"Good boy."

He was not okay.

Yuta knew this as he staggered through the corridors, not knowing where he was going.

His legs seemed to have a life of their own. His chest felt like it was being crushed and it was getting harder to breathe by the second.

He desperately turned another corridor, and ran smack into someone.

The impact knocked out what little breath he had, and he dropped down gasping and wheezing, seeing spots in his vision.

"Oh Yuta! There you-"  
The voice broke off suddenly, and exclaimed,  
"Oh shit! What's the matter?"

"Ca.... can't.. brea-"  
Yuta curled into himself, panic filling him. He had never had an attack of this magnitude. Not since a long time.

"Okay..... okay."  
The voice was calmer now.

"Yuta, breathe with me, come on. Through your nose."

The voice placed a gentle hand on the nape of his neck, grounding him, as he exhaled and inhaled.

"Easy does it, Yuta. Calm down."

Finally, slowly, Yuta felt the crushing sensation leave his chest, and his vision cleared.

"Are you okay now?"  
Johnny's brown eyes stared at him.

Yuta dipped his head, partly because he was embarrassed, and partly to blink away the tears which had made an appearance.

He shuffled away from Johnny and got up shakily.

Johnny got up too, watching him warily, as if he would fall any second.

Yuta blushed in embarrassment.  
"Ah..... sorry about that Johnny. The others must be waiting. Let's go."

Not meeting Johnny's eyes, he hurried away.

The car ride back was quiet. And awkward for Yuta. Johnny, who was the moodmaker, was silent and Yuta knew why.

He could feel Johnny's gaze burning a hole into his neck.  
He pretended to fall asleep and then tried to make conversation with Jaehyun.

When they reached the dorms, Yuta stuck to Taeil till dinner and then sneaked away to his room.

He hopped into the shower, deliberately keeping his mind away from all things Minwoo related.

When he came out, Johnny was sprawled out on the other bed, scrolling through his phone.  
Yuta's eyes widened.

"Why are you here?" He blurted out.

Johnny raised an eyebrow.  
"Are you avoiding me?"

"Are you following me?"  
Yuta deadpanned.

"Don't change the subject, Yuta. What happened back there?"

"Nothing. Now get out."

"No."  
Johnny hugged a pillow and closed his eyes.

"You can switch the lights off if you want", He said lazily.

Yuta shot him a glare that went unseen and aggressively switched the lights off.

He felt angry.

Angry at Johnny for not leaving him alone.  
Angry at himself for being weak.  
Angry at Minwoo for coming back.

"Are you okay?" Johnny asked after a few seconds.  
Yuta immediately felt guilty.

"Yeah."  
He paused, unsure.  
"Umm.. thank you. For today..."  
He trailed off.

After a beat, Johnny replied softly, "It's alright. You know you can talk to me, right?"

"I know."

"Good night."

".......... night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! How are you all?  
> Stay safe everyone.  
> Please share your thoughts with me.  
> Constructive criticism is very much accepted.


End file.
